Starter-generator for outboard motors



y 1934. w. H. ANDERSON 1,966,913

STARTER GENERATOR FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed June 20, 1929 Inventor Atlor ne y Patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES STARTER-GENERATOR FOROUTBOARD MOTORS William H. Anderson, Detroit, Mich., assignor ofone-half to Frank Mich.

J. Trippensee, Detroit,

Application June 20, 1929, Serial No. 372,441

Claims.

My invention relates to outboard motors and particularly to means forstarting outboard motors of the internal combustion type.

The instant starting of an outboard motor is 5 not only difiicult tosecure, but that fact is well known and freely admitted by all owners ofoutboard power-driven boats.

Due to the effort required to crank an outboard motor and the continuouscranking so frequently necessary before the engine can be made tooperate under its own power, the use and sale of this type of motor hasbeen greatly curtailed,- in fact so much so that the number of outboardmotor boats driven by women and children is quite limited.

A further objection to the use of outboard motors as now constructed isdue to the hazard offered anyone seated at the stern of the boat who mayinadvertently or carelessly bring his arm into contact with the rapidlyrotating fly wheel or its whirling crank handle.

A further objection to their use is that it becomes necessary for thepilot, or the one in charge of the motor, to be seated in the stern ofthe boat-that he may be there to start the motor whenever necessary,- tosteer the boat, and to perform all other duties required for thecontinuous operation of the craft.

The primary object therefore of this invention is to overcome these andother objections to outboard motors by combining therewith in a singleunit, a starting generating dynamo, whereby the outboard motor may bestarted and controlled from the bow of the boat without manual effort.

One object of the present invention is to eliminate the usual fly wheelemployed on motors of this type and to install in its place a singleunit double duty starting generating dynamo, the armature of which ismounted on the drive-shaft of the engine to serve as a fly wheel for thelatter in addition to its use as a starting generating dynamo. The fieldmagnets are stationary, and are supported by an annular wall surroundingthe revolving armature,-the annular wall being 5 either integral or notwith the cylinder walls of the engine, as may be desired. A sheet metalcover houses the starting generating dynamo, protecting it from theweather, and those seated in the stern of the boat from injury throughaccidental contact with the revolving parts. A

starting switch and storage battery connected with the startinggenerating dynamo may be located near the bow of the boat. also asteerin wheel-connected with the outboard motor,-or

an independent rudder mechanism may be installed for steering the boat.

with the foregoing and other objects in view which will'appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention further resides in the combinationand arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made inthe precise embodiment of the invention hereinafter disclosed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the same.

In the drawing accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an outboard motor, embodying a startinggenerating dynamo unit in place of the usual fly wheel of the motor.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of same, with parts cut away and insection to show the starting generating dynamo;--indicating alsodiagrammatically a storage battery, starting switch and connectionsbetween the battery and the starting generating dynamo.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the outboard motor withparts in section, taken on or about line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 are-detail views of an auxiliary manually operated startingattachment detachably secured to the commutator .end of thearmatureengine shaft-comprising a plan and side elevation of thestarting disc and a screw-bolt for attaching it to the shaft.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the starting generatingdynamo, with the housing for same in secticn,-showing the detachablemanually operated starting attachment installed thereon.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawing:

A denotes the cylinders of an outboard motor. B the gasoline tank and Ba removable fuel filling cap. C indicates the usual clamping jaw, fittedwith an adjustable clamping member 0, for securing it to the stern ofa'boat. D denotes a propeller blade driven in the usual manner by therotation of the combined armature and engine drive-shaft E, enclosedwithin a tube F.

G denotes the armature of a starting generating dynamo G, mounted uponthe combined armature-engine drive-shaft E, and H is a com mutator onthe end of the shaft.

I indicates the field magnets secured to an annular housing encirclingthe starting generating dynamo and preferably integral with the cylinderwalls of the outboard motor.

J is a storage battery and K is a starting switch adapted to close acircuit between the battery and the starting generating dynamo.

L denotes a hinged cover secured to the gasoline tank adapted to closethe open end of the housing L and M is a. closure cap fitted to anupstanding annular collar M in the cover surrounding the commutator, byremoving which access may be had to the commutator and its brushes.

N indicates a grooved removable rotatable disc adapted to be secured bya bolt N to the upper Z v end of the combined armature and engine driveshaft-L-uponremoving thejclosureg cap M from the housing N is a hook inits marginal edge, to receive the looped end of a cord (not shown) formanually starting the motor, in the event of the starting generatingdynamo failing to operate.

Having indicated the several parts by reference letters, theconstruction and operation of the device will be readily understood.

To start the engine under its own power, the starting switch K isoperated to close the circuit between the storage battery J and thestarting generating dynamo G, which operating as a motor turns theengine over until the latter operates in the usual manner under its ownpower.

The engine now operating, at a relatively greater speed, automaticallyconverts the motor into a generator, which recharges the battery K, andfollowing the recharging of the battery the starting switch is openeduntil it is again necessary to start the motor.

No attempt has been made to show the ignition system of the outboardmotor as this is well understood and forms no partof the presentinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of anoutboard motor and a starting generating dynamo, including stationaryfield magnets for the starting generating dynamo supported co-axiallywith the drive-shaft of the outboard motor, an armature for the startinggenerating dynamo mounted on the drive shaft of the outboard motor,whereby it may serve the dual purpose of an armature for the startinggenerating dynamo and a fly wheel for the outboard motor,the usual flywheel of the out board motor having been eliminated; a storage batteryin circuit withthe starting generating dynamo; and means for controllingsaid circuit.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with a housingattached to the frame of the outboard motor inclosing the startinggenerating dynamo.

3. In a device of the character described, a unitary structurecomprising an outboard motor; a starting generating dynamo, comprisingstationary field magnets and an armature for the dynamo mounted on thedrive-shaft of the outboard motor, serving also as a fly wheel for thelatter; an inclosing housing for the starting generating unit, includinga removable cover, whereby access may be obtained to said dynamo.

4. In a device of the character described. the combination of anoutboard motor and a starting generating dynamo, supported co-axiallywith the drive-shaft of the outboard motor, an armature for the startinggenerating dynamo mounted on the drive-shaft of the outboard motor,whereby it may also serve as a fly wheel for the outboard motor; acommutator for the starting generating dynamo on the end of thedrive-shaft; a storage battery in circuit with the starting generatingdynamo; means for controlling said circuit; an inclosing housing for thestarting generating dynamo and a removable cap on said housing, wherebyaccess may be had to the commutator.

5. A structure as specfied in claim 1 in combination with auxiliarydetachable means adapted to be mounted upon the drive-shaft of theoutboard motor, for manually starting said outboard motor.

6. An outboard motor comprising a combustion engine .havingf'a driveshaft and electric motor having'a rotating part carried by the samedrive shaft and a fixedpart carried by the engine housing, the rotatingelectric motor part constituting a fly wheel for the combustion engine.

7. In an outboard motor a combustion engine and an electric startingmotor therefor having a common drive shaft and a common casing part, theelectric motor having a rotating part which constitutes the fly wheelfor the engine.

8. In an outboard motor of the internal combustion engine type, thecombination with a motor-generator co-axial with and operativelyconnected to the crank-shaft of the engine for starting the engine, of ahand-operated cranking wheel operatively connected to the motorgenerator co-axial with said crank-shaft for rotating the revoluble partof motor-generator.

9. In an outboard motor of the internal combustion type, the combinationwith an electric starter having a fly-wheel armature section operativelyconnected to the crank-shaft of the engine co-axial therewith, of acranking element operatively connected to said armature section co-axialtherewith for rotating the same.

10. In an outboard motor of the internal combustion type, thecombination with an electric starter having a flywheel armature sectionoperatively connected to the crank-shaft of the engine co-axialtherewith, of a hub secured to the upper end of said armature section toextend upwardly therefrom co-axial therewith, and a cranking elementoperatively connected to the hub for rotating the armature section andcrankshaft.

11. The combination with an outboard motor of the opposed cylinderinternal combustion engine type having a crank-case connecting thecylinders, and an upright crank-shaft journaled in the lower and upperwalls of the crank-case, of a motor generator having a flywheel armaturesection operatively connected to the upper end of the crank-shaft forrotating said shaftto start the engine, and adapted to be rotated bysaid shaft for generating electric current.

12. The combination of an outboard motor engine having an upward crankshaft extension for a flywheel, an electric starter generator having arotary part to engage the shaft extension and a surrounding stationaryfield portion supported by the engine casing.

13. In an outboard motor, a combustion engine having an upward crankshaft extension for a flywheel, a fuel tank supported by the enginecasing in nested relation to a flywheel, and an electric starter mountedon the shaft extension and supported by the engine casing in nestedrelation to the fuel tank, the starter part mounted on the shaftextension operating as the engine flywheel.

14. An electric starter for an outboard motor engine which has avertical shaft extending above the engine casing, the starter havingfixed and movable parts supported by the shaft and engine casing andoccupying the space normally provided for the engine flywheel.

15. An outboard motor having a combustion engine, and an electricstarter therefor fora common drive shaft in combination with anauxiliary starting device for the engine having an axis common to thatof the drive shaft.

WILLIAM H. ANDERSON.

